the continual acceptance of chronic illness
Things have changed for me recently, and it has been difficult for me to accept, so today lets have a chat about the continual acceptance of chronic illness. I have had chronic illnesses all my life, but they really started to affect me when I was in my early twenties. At the time I lived alone in Birmingham, England in nurses accommodation and I had a job as a nurse that I really enjoyed. I loved walking and having some independence in life for the first time, then one day everything changed. Me and my then best friend was at a folk festival, we were having a wonderful time,…
National bed month 2023
It is National bed month 2023 and as someone with several chronic illnesses that have the symptom of fatigue, it means a lot to me! So lets chat about getting better sleep. Since 1990, March has been dedicated by the Sleep Council as national bed month, a chance to swap tips and tricks of getting a good night sleep. Along with the Sleep Charity, and Bed Advice UK, they want the nation to sleep better and as someone with chronic illnesses I agree! I have shared here on the blog, as well as on my YouTube channel ways I have found of improving my sleep. But a recent flare of…
45 things I learned in 45 years
Tomorrow, March 16th, is my birthday and I have seen a lot of people do this but I think I will share 45 things I learned in 45 years. I often get told I do not look my age, something I want to leap about and celebrate, but in reality does it matter? Society likes to convince us that we matter less as we age, that we are less attractive and have less to give. However, I feel the exact opposite! As I get older I accept myself and understand myself a lot more, I care less what others think and I enjoy life more than I ever did when…
Organisation and chronic illness
Today I want to talk about organisation and chronic illness, something that has saved me so many flares even this past week so let’s get into it! If you are anything like me, you have probably watched TV shows like the home edit, and Marie kondo and wished you could have a lovely organised home. The problem is that when you are fighting a painful and tired body making the time to get organised is never easy! However, since moving in with mom and becoming her carer we have had to be more organised as I have to make sure I have enough energy to look after her. Over time…
Self-Love Tips
It can be hard to love yourself unconditionally, it’s almost trendy in our society to put yourself down, but this Valentine’s week lets change the script. Here are some self-love tips for you. In my teens and into my twenties I had an intense hatred for myself, I barely ate, I drank a lot of alcohol, I left an incredible man to be with someone abusive… the list goes on and on. There wasn’t a moment that changed, one day I decided to change it all, but I do know the stress of that time along with qualifying as a nurse is probably why I got sick. Mistreating my body…
Tinnitus Awareness Week 2023
It is Tinnitus Awareness Week 2023, and I have struggled with it for a long time so I thought I would take the opportunity to explain more about it. I have struggled for a long time with tinnitus, and though I cannot remember when it started I do have an idea as to why I do. My grandmother is deaf and so was her father, my cousin is also deaf so hearing issues run through our family. All through my life I have struggled with ear wax and have had to have them syringed twice a year every year for most of my life. I have fond memories of laying…
7 Things To Do After The Death Of A Loved One
The death of a loved one can make it hard to think straight. However, there are a lot of tasks that need to be done relatively soon after our loved one has passed away. Below are some of the tasks that need doing and who to contact. Obtain a medical certificate A medical certificate is typically issued by a doctor when someone dies. Most people die in hospital or are taken to hospital where a medical certificate is given to loved ones. If they died at home, you may have to contact their GP to obtain a certificate. Register their death You must register your loved one’s death within 5…
Simple mindfulness practices for every day
Many of us struggle with being in the moment, too often people say they have tried it and can’t do it or don’t know where to start. So here are some simple mindfulness practices for every day. Like many people here in the West, I first heard of mindfulness when I was in therapy as it is something that has been colonised and reused by our psychiatry services. I have spent a long time decolonising my witchcraft practice and trying to be more respectful. Mindfulness is good for our mental health! And it is something that has greatly helped my relationship with my negative thoughts! However, it is not something…
When you have a bad day
Sometimes the week doesn’t go quite as planned I had a bad day but I turned it around! How can you do that when you have a bad day. I have lived with chronic depression since I was about fourteen, and I have had an anxiety disorder most of my life. My childhood was spent on edge and worrying about everything and by the time I was in my 20s my mental health was really bad. I honestly thought that would always be my life, and that I would spent every day waking up depressed and nervous of everything. But then I was referred to a chronic depression class by…
Finding traditions and holidays
Many of us struggle with finding traditions and holidays that work for us, for many reasons, it’s something I have struggled with. Today we are going to talk through ways of doing this. I have spoken many times here on the blog about struggling around Christmas, there feels to be a lot of pressure around it. I have also lost family members that enjoyed this holiday or were a part of my celebrations and the time of year triggers my grief again. It is also difficult because having ME/CFS and struggling with chronic pain, decorating and being social can be very difficult for me. This leaves me feeling overwhelmed with…
